i just got a ton of files, got a question.

[BoomerBSG]

i was visiting with a family friend, he's a machinist, and has been doing metal work since he was 15 or so, and he's 48 now. he's even done some work on guns, from modifying existing guns, to creating his own.
well i told him about some of the stuff i have been doing and he dropped these on me.. for free. theres alot of $ in files here. the smaller ones are Nicholson, and the others are a fair mix of Nicholson and well as some other brands.

so my question is this, some are swiss and some are american cut, is there a huge difference in the two? alot of the non swiss files still have a really fine feel cut to them. and he said theres not a major difference other than the swiss dont tend to build up as much as american cut, he said to just make sure i keep the files clean after a few strokes and i can get the same quality of work out of them.

so whats the deal? he also through in a couple of stones, 2 india, and one.. um i forget (sorry).

http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/3605/filesmr1.jpg

[Hawkmoon]

You have nice friends. That's quite a score.

Chalk -- chalk the files before use and they stay cleaner.

[John]

Chalk -- chalk the files before use and they stay cleaner.

Huh? Please elaborate, you never told me of this trick!!!!!

[BoomerBSG]

serious john? i've even heard of that, and i'm new to filing:)

cheers

[niemi24s]

. . . some are swiss and some are american cut, is there a huge difference in the two?
The differences between Swiss and American cut/pattern files are explained here: http://www.mcmaster.com/ . Just poke in Page 2566 in the little box at the top left corner.

It's important to store the files so they don't contact each other and get their teeth chipped. Files can also be chemically "sharpened" when they don't cut good anymore. To prolong the life of the teeth, files should never be drawn backwards across the workpiece - lift them up after each stroke. File cards are useless on fine-toothed files - use a small steel or brass "scratch brush".

[Tom]

I had never heard of that before, but here's a link to Brownell's website about it:
File Chalk at Brownells (http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=785)

[emilio]

excellent score!

i love my swiss-cut file for final fitting, as it really does make a difference in how much finishing is needed afterwards. i would inspect the files closely and make sure none of them are significantly dulled. one way to tell is by tilting the file slightly away from you and looking for a lot of wide shiny streaks on the face of the file; the streaks are teeth that are partially flattened. if you can't get it re-sharpened, just toss it in with the garden tools for rough sharpening.

i second the chalk advice. i just got a $2 pack of school chalk from a drugstore and pass it over the face of the file with a bit of pressure. afterwards, cleanup by knocking the file on the edge of a garbage can to dislodge the chalk and filings, then brush the remainder away with a steel brush. occasionally i'll give them a good scrubbing with some cleaner/degreaser and then apply a light coat of oil - rusty files blow.

just think - legend has it that Browning did his first firearm work in a shack in Utah with hand-made files. forge, hammer, grind, chisel! we have it easy with our cryo-treated low-tolerance CAD CNC files made deep in faraway mountains by mysterious dwarves.

- emilio

[BoomerBSG]

thanks guys, most of the files are all new out of the box, some are used, but not heavily.
he likes that i've taken an interest in this sort of thing and has offered to show me some of what he knows about filing metals. he really is pretty good at what he does, so i'm rather excited (Where was this feeling when i was in school and really needed it!:))

cheers

[Hill]

Boomer, it's all excellent!

Looks like you're pretty well set for large files if you take care of them. You'll want to add some that are known as "Pillar" files - ones that have file surfaces and non-file smooth surfaces. They're the way to work close into a corner or between parts, or anywhere where you have to place the file close to a surface that you DON'T want to cut in order to file a surface that needs it.

you'll need a set of good needle files. Don't buy cheap - there are plenty of them available now that won't cut wood much less steel, no matter what the packaging claims.

The place the Neimi posted McMaster-Carr, can be your friend. They don't care how much you order.

The willingness of your family friend to help you is worth more than 100 files. Don't make him mad at you.

[BoomerBSG]

thanks hill. i got some pillar files in the mix. it looks like a well rounded batch of files to me:)

[tonka]

The one on the far left is a fine choice for squaring up the hammer hooks.

Or maybe not.

[Hill]

The one on the far left is a fine choice for squaring up the hammer hooks.

Or maybe not.

Yeah, it'll work fine. That's a Kimber file unless I'm mistaken.

[Iron bottom]

Don't leave any of that chalk on a file that may be exposed to any unusually high humidity. Seems to rust 'em very quickly.

[Ditto_95]

excellent score!

i love my swiss-cut file for final fitting, as it really does make a difference in how much finishing is needed afterwards. i would inspect the files closely and make sure none of them are significantly dulled. one way to tell is by tilting the file slightly away from you and looking for a lot of wide shiny streaks on the face of the file; the streaks are teeth that are partially flattened. if you can't get it re-sharpened, just toss it in with the garden tools for rough sharpening.

i second the chalk advice. i just got a $2 pack of school chalk from a drugstore and pass it over the face of the file with a bit of pressure. afterwards, cleanup by knocking the file on the edge of a garbage can to dislodge the chalk and filings, then brush the remainder away with a steel brush. occasionally i'll give them a good scrubbing with some cleaner/degreaser and then apply a light coat of oil - rusty files blow.

just think - legend has it that Browning did his first firearm work in a shack in Utah with hand-made files. forge, hammer, grind, chisel! we have it easy with our cryo-treated low-tolerance CAD CNC files made deep in faraway mountains by mysterious dwarves.

- emilio

I have found that using oil on a file increases skating. I use desicant in the drawer where I store my files.

Never use a file backwards and use two hands when possible with work in a vise.